Locally Green: Marco Polo's commitment to Slow Food Philippines

A lot of companies talk about sustainability but very few actually make a commitment to it. An event here or there, a fair, or a campaign but none of the big companies has been able to really commit much until Marco Polo Ortigas actually partnered with Slow Food Philippines in linking good food with local communities to preserve local food culture and tradition.

In a media launch held recently, Marco Polo hosted a lunch at Cucina to give their media guests a taste of what slow food dining is all about. Slow Food Philippines aims to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions, counteract fast food, and combat people's dwindling interest in the food they eat, where they come from, and how their food choices affect the world.

This fresh lumpiang ubod with peanut sauce really tasted fresh. You could taste the veggies in a good way. You know that fresh taste, it's present and for me, that's one way that I can distinguish if what I'm eating is right or has been littered with pesticides.

The Seaweed Ensalada with Tomato and Red Onion was a little surprising coz I didn't see much of seaweed but more bittergourd which was really bitter by the way. If you're into bittergourd, this is the real deal. None of that sweetened version that Moms make to get kids to eat it.

The grilled eggplant was one of the biggest shocker for me because I hate eggplants and I'm not really a fan of salted egg. This combination however was amazing!

The clam and sweet corn soup with malunggay leaves was defniely my favorite. The clam taste hits you in your face but it's toned down by the sweet corn.I finished every last drop.

It was my first time to try Adlai and surprisingly, I liked it. It's a surprise to me coz I hate quinoa and I'm also not a fan of risotto. This one though, I could see myself eating it on a daily basis.

I was scared to try out the goat because a lot of chef get this one wrong. If cooked wrong, it will taste "fishy" which is never a good thing. This one though was cooked perfectly.

Cucina wil serve provincial and regional specialties starting with the Pampanga Edition. Locally Green: Reviving Traditions, Rediscovering Good Food is a new and ingenious way to learn about mindful consumptions because food choices affect not just the members of the family but the community and even the country as well. The Pampanga Edition will be available until May 27.